Residential treatment facilities are effective for people suffering from severe problems or co-occurring disorders. Licensed residential treatment facilities provide 24/7 structured and intensive care, including safe housing and medical attention. Residential treatment facilities typically use a therapy-based approach, and the general goal of these therapy programs is to help the patient live a drug-free, crime-free life after treatment.
Here are a few examples of residential treatment facilities:
- Therapeutic communities– highly structured programs in which patients stay at a facility for 6 to 12 months. Here patients will learn more about behaviors associated with drug use. Staff and existing members play a big roll in regard to changing the patient’s attitude and overall thoughts about drug abuse.
- Short-term residential treatment– involves the initial detox process and initial intensive counseling. Patients are urged to join a community-based support group after attending a short-term residential program
- Recovery housing– also known as sober living. Recovery housing offers structured, short-term housing for patients, most commonly following other types of treatment.
Addiction treatment programs are typically classified into several general types of modalities. The treatment of addiction is an ever-evolving science, and many programs today don’t fit neatly into traditional drug addiction treatment classifications.
Detox and a medically managed withdrawal are usually considered the first stage of treatment. During detox the body clears itself of drugs, and medication helps with the withdrawal symptoms associated with detox. It’s important to understand that detoxification alone doesn’t address the psychological, social and behavioral problems associated with addiction and therefore does not typically produce long lasting recovery from addiction.
Withdrawals can be unpleasant and potentially fatal. Withdrawal symptoms are managed using medications administered by a physician in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Medications are available to assist in the withdrawal from opioids, benzodiazepines, alcohol, nicotine, barbiturates, and other sedatives.
